Archer Communications Systems Limited (ACSL), with the approval of its three shareholder companies BAE SYSTEMS, ITT Defense, and Racal Defence Electronics, has submitted to the UK MoD a maximum price offer for the whole of the BOWMAN supply and support contract.
John Gutteridge, managing director BOWMAN, said: We are delighted that we are now in a position to offer a maximum price for BOWMAN to MoD. For the first time they have a solution which has an affordable maximum price, a fixed specification which meets the user requirements, a realistic programme and a fully negotiated contract close to completion.
""As a consequence of Racal's acquisition by Thomson, ACSL now has access to a strong European capability in the complex area of network integration to supplement the expertise ITT has already made available from the USA. This combination will strengthen ACSL's ability to deliver the programme with the earliest possible in-service date (ISD).
""Moving forward with the programme now will prevent any further delay and capitalise upon the substantial investment that MoD and industry have made to date.""
In December 1999 ministers reaffirmed ACSL as the MoD's preferred supplier for BOWMAN, which is designed to provide the UK armed forces with the world's most capable battlefield communication system. In addition to delivering secure voice and data capability, the ACSL BOWMAN solution will also provide the foundation for battlefield digitisation.
The ACSL Offer is for a completely integrated BOWMAN system together with its initial support. The system will be developed and produced by subcontractors who have all been selected through a competitive process.
The principal equipments and core software packages will be supplied from all three shareholder companies, with Hunting Defence Limited and Nortel (Cogent) acting as key subsystem suppliers.
The offer also includes the conversion of all army military units and selected air and naval platforms, and training of the respective service personnel. The conversion activity will be subcontracted to Brown & Root, and the training programme will be delivered by Vosper Thornycroft.
The ACSL industrial team is uniquely placed to capitalise not only on its own substantial Private Venture investment in the BOWMAN programme, but also on MoD's investment in the programme to date.
(Editor's Note : The Financial Times reported June 27 that Britain's MoD had reduced its budget for the program from 2.1 billion pounds to 1.7 billion pounds, and that it ""will consider this week whether to drop its prime contractor and to reopen the project to competitors."")
